A/N: Got this up as fast as possible so Fifi wouldn't have to suffer. Was gonna go on, but the chapter would have been too long. So hopefully, the next chapter will be up in just a couple days.
OH! I forgot to say at the beginning...This story is happily dedicated to Sprout! Glad you came around, Little One!
Rodney stood back against the wall opposite the tank that held Addie; Elizabeth curled protectively against his side with his arm around her shoulders for both physical and emotional support. They knew they couldn't help Carson; all they could do was stay out of the way and pray for everything to be fine.
Carson scanned the baby in the tank in front of him. She appeared to be fully formed, and as healthy as any newborn. The Janus hologram popped up every 10 minutes to continue his countdown, with his last appearance being 8 minutes ago as he stated, "Final processing achieved. Ten minutes until program completion." The water level had decreased slowly, until the baby rested on a cushion on the bottom of the tank, the fluid still covering her, but stopping mere inches above her upturned face.
Finally, the console next to the wall chimed, as Janus made a final appearance to announce, "Gestation period complete. Program terminated." The rest of the water drained quickly and Carson sprang into action, lifting the baby from the tank to lay her in the small isolette that had been brought from the infirmary. He quickly suctioned her nose and mouth, then cleaned her off briskly but gently as she gave a lusty cry.
At the sound, Rodney looked down at Elizabeth to see her smiling widely, unheeded tears streaming down her cheeks. She glanced up at him, and then stretched up to bury her face against his neck, wrapping her arms around him to hug him tightly. He wrapped his other arm around her, holding her to him as he felt his own tears course slowly down his face. He knew he was grinning hugely, and saw no reason to even try to stop it.
At Carson's direction, they followed him and his small team and the baby to the infirmary for a thorough going over to make sure everything was working well and she was as healthy as she appeared.
An hour had passed, before Carson finally emerged from the isolation room that he'd wheeled Addie into. Rodney and Elizabeth quickly stood from the chairs they'd occupied while waiting, though Rodney'd had nothing more than a passing acquaintance with his as he paced. Carson came to a stop in front of them and smiled tiredly.
"Well, she appears as normal as any newborn babe I've ever examined. 6 pounds, 14 ounces, 19 ½ inches long. Heart, lungs sound fine. Breathin' normal. An' the Ancient gene is definitely present. Seems quite pure an' strong ta me too. Don't think ya coulda gotten a better wee one if ya'd ordered her from a catalog. Though why they feel the need to come in the middle of the night, I'll never understand. You ken come in now. I'm sure you'll be wantin' to be seein' her."
Rodney and Elizabeth both nodded quickly and followed him back to the small room, coming to a stop side by side next to the isolette she lay in, not daring to even touch her. "You ken pick 'er up, ya know. The wee ones are pretty strong. They don't break too easily." Carson said gently, before quietly exiting the room, leaving Mother, Father and daughter alone.
Elizabeth stroked her cheek, before slowly unwrapping her and counting her fingers and toes, in some instinctual mothering practice done world wide by new mothers everywhere. Once she was satisfied with the number she found, she rewrapped her carefully. With a deep breath, she lifted the child into her arms and cradled her close to her chest, taking in that smell that is unique to infants alone. She nuzzled her cheek against the downy soft, curly blond hair that adorned her daughter's head.
"Hello, Miss Adiana Terena McKay. Welcome to Atlantis. You're our first true Atlantian born in millennia. I've been looking forward to meeting you for what seems to be forever, and I'm so glad you're here." Elizabeth spoke quietly to her daughter, but made no attempt to hide the awe and love in her voice, speaking clearly enough that Rodney could understand everything she said if he chose to.
She turned to look at Rodney, only to realize he'd obviously not heard a work she's said. He appeared to be almost in a trance, his gaze not leaving the blanket wrapped bundle in her arms. She smiled and gently placed Adiana into his arms and helped him close his unresponsive hands around her form protectively. Rodney held her correctly, but drew in a deep breath and held it as she mewled quietly.
Elizabeth watched him for a moment, another rush of emotion spilling over her as she reached again to touch his arm. "Rodney…breathe."
"Forgot how," was the only verbal response she got, but it apparently snapped him out of his trance and he exhaled and took another breath, adjusting his hold on the baby. "My God. 'Lizabeth, she's beautiful. She looks just like you."
He continued to stare at the baby in his arms, and then began to speak quietly, his voice suspiciously thick and emotional. "Well, hello there, Addie. I'm your dad. And I'm so glad to finally get to meet you. I can't wait to show you around, and meet all your family, and rock you to sleep and…"
"Rodney." Elizabeth's quiet voice got his attention, and he turned to her with a slightly embarrassed look, and started to hand her back. Elizabeth shook her head. "No Rodney, you can keep holding her. I just wanted you to look quickly while they were open. She's got your eyes. But I have no idea where that blond hair came from."
Rodney grinned hugely. "I was blond until I was in my late teens. No one could ever figure it out either." He traced Addie's features lightly with his index finger, and her eyes opened again. "You're right, 'Lizabeth. That's McKay blue. I was hoping she'd have your green, but I'll keep the blue."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Of course you'll keep the blue. What else could you do? Give her back?" She asked with a grin and obvious sarcasm.
Rodney looked sheepish again. "I know. Sorry. I'm just…I can't wrap my head around the fact that I'm finally holding my own child. Forgive me if I get a bit sentimental."
She nodded and moved over to wrap an arm around his waist as she stood as close as possible to just stare at the miracle that was their daughter.
After about 20 minutes of just reveling in their daughter's presence, they decided it was time to share her with their friends and exited the isolation room together, Rodney cradling her protectively. They'd promised to show her to their friends when she was born, regardless of the time of day or night.
They went into the main room of the Infirmary to call their friends, only to find that news had already spread. There in the chairs they had occupied previously, sat Radek, Sheppard and Teyla, Ronan leaning against the wall behind them and Colonel Caldwell over talking to Carson. At their entrance, Caldwell and Carson came over to join them, as Radek, Sheppard and Teyla stood. Ronan stayed slouched against the wall, but his eyes were watching them closely, a very small smile on his face.
Rodney grinned at his friends proudly, beaming like only a new father could do. He turned Addie so the others could see her, uncovering her with remarkable gentleness that surprised Elizabeth. He'd never seemed the baby type; his own claims that he hated children, along with interactions on previous missions seemed to validate this and it had never occurred to her that he'd even know what to do with a baby.
At an unspoken question, and with a quick glance to Elizabeth to make sure it was okay, Rodney gently handed her to Teyla, figuring she was a better bet at knowing how to hold her as opposed to Sheppard. Teyla accepted her quite happily, her eyes moist.
Elizabeth leaned against Rodney again. Not a hug, just a connection. He smiled down at her and put his arm around her with the confidence of a best friend who knows the advance will not be rebuffed. Quite the opposite of rebuffing, Elizabeth slid her arm around his waist and snuggled under his arm again into a position she found was becoming more familiar and much more comfortable. As she caught Rodney's eye, she nodded to him then towards their friends, giving him the okay to do the introductions.
Rodney beamed at her, and then turned to look at their friends. "Guys, Teyla, 'Lizabeth and I would like to introduce you to our daughter – Adiana Terena McKay."
Sheppard looked up from studying Addie, her fingers wrapped around his pinkie. "Ummm… really?"
Teyla elbowed him discreetly and scowled at his lack of social graces, before looking to Rodney and Elizabeth. "Do not pay him any mind. It is a lovely name for a lovely child, Doctor Weir, Doctor McKay. May she grow strong and tall and do the name proud."
Elizabeth smiled at Teyla in thanks, and was about to explain about Rodney's already shortening it to Addie, when John quickly cut in again. "Yeah, it's a pretty name. But for a little sprout like this? She's barely big enough for the McKay name, let alone the others." He looked back down and spoke to Addie. "Hey, little one. Don't worry, I'll work with the two supposedly brainy people who are your parents and we'll find you something a bit easier to go by." He winked at her, and then looked back at Rodney. "The Sprout said she agrees with me," he said with a grin.
Rodney rolled his eyes. "Sprout? You are not talking to my daughter like a plant. If you must call her something, you can call her Addie like I do, and like 'Lizabeth has already started to do." He frowned as he saw that John was totally ignoring him, again playing with the baby still in Teyla's arms.
After a few more minutes, Carson quietly informed them that it would be best to let the new family rest, and Teyla reluctantly handed Addie to Elizabeth, who snuggled her close. They all said their goodbyes, again congratulating Rodney and Elizabeth. As Carson led them out to be sure they all left, Sheppard held back. "Goodbye Rodney, Elizabeth,…Sprout." With an impish grin, he quickly followed the others out, leaving the three of them alone.
Rodney scowled after John, and then looked back at Elizabeth who was grinning. "What?"
She smiled at him and sighed in exasperation. "You realize he's going to call her Sprout until she's 30, don't you?" He nodded his head slightly in resignation and her laughter rang out through the infirmary.